This invention relates to three-dimensional decorative devices created from sheet material, and more particularly to three-dimensional decorative devices created from flat sheet material which are suspended or mounted to allow rotation of the decorative device, and to a process for making a decorative three-dimensional device from a flat sheet of material.
Various three-dimensional decorative objects have been created from sheet material. Such objects have included artificial trees, Christmas tree ornaments, and other devices.
The artificial trees are generally comprised of a circular sheet of material that is spirally cut and vertically deformed to create a helical structure that bears some resemblance to a conically-shaped tree. Examples of this type of structure are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,048,590 and 5,336,536.
A variation of the basic conical helix tree is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,168, which discloses bridges that maintain a predetermined spacing between portions of the helical strip forming the tree. While each of the artificial trees described in these patents could conceivably be mounted for rotation, they are not adapted for rotational mounting and would not likely be expected to provide an interesting visual effect if they were rotated.
Other somewhat more elaborate structures constructed from flat sheet material are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,200,656 B1 (Tsang) and 4,746,022 (Benham). The Tsang patent describes an artificial tree having a central disc-shaped member, a plurality of vertically spaced apart annular rings connected to the central disc-shaped member, and a plurality of connecting strips that connect each of the vertically spaced apart annular rings to an adjacent annular ring. The Benham patent describes a three-dimensional support structure that may be either free standing or adapted to be hung from an overhead support. The structure includes a plurality of radially spaced concentric rings, and elongated flexible connectors that join the concentric rings in axially displaced relationship to form a conically shaped framework.
Neither the structure of the Tsang patent nor the structure of the Benham patent are adapted to be mounted for rotational movement. As with the previously described artificial trees generally defined by a helical strip, the structures of Tsang and Benham would not be expected to provide an interesting visual effect if rotated. In particular, the elevational view of these structures is very similar from all sides, with the result being that rotation of these structures would not be expected to provide a changing perspective capable of generating an interesting visual effect.
A suspendable Christmas trees ornament is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,903. The ornament is fabricated from sheet material by cutting parallel slits in the sheet material to form a plurality of narrow adjacent strips. The cut sheet material is wound around a core comprising an inner cylindrical member telescopingly mounted within a through hole of an outer cylindrical member. After the sheet material is secured along its edges to the core, the core is shortened to change the shape of the sheet material from a tubular configuration to a globular configuration. The ornament is not adapted for rotation, and would not be expected to provide a changing perspective that generates an interesting visual effect if the ornament were rotated.
Other ornamental novelty and display devices made from sheet material are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,162,230; 2,395,578 and 5,130,169. None of these devices are adapted for rotation, and would not be expected to provide a changing perspective that could generate an interesting visual effect if the devices were rotated.
The three-dimensional ornamental device of this invention may be adapted for rotation about an axis whereby a changing perspective creates an interesting visual effect.
The device includes a series of angularly spaced apart strips, each strip having opposite ends and a length corresponding to the curvilinear distance along the strip between the opposites ends of the strip, each strip connected at one end to a first spine and connected at the opposite end to a second spine.
In accordance with a particular aspect of the invention, a second series of angularly spaced apart strips is provided, wherein each strip has opposites ends and a length corresponding to the curvilinear distance along the strip between opposite ends of the strip, and each strip is connected at one end to the first spine and at the opposite end to the second spine. Each strip in the first series corresponds with one of the strips in the second series. The corresponding pairs of strips are annularly displaced by about 180 degrees and connected on opposite sides of the spines to outline two sides of a geometric shape separated by the spines.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, drawings and claims.